The growth in the number of populist and extremist MEPs in the European Parliament could delay urgently needed legislative reform on critical issues, former European Parliament president Pat Cox has warned. Mr Cox said while last May's European elections were marked by the lowest-ever turnout at 42.54 per cent across Europe, indicating a degree of apathy, they were also notable for revealing "a level of anger and disillusionment".

The European Union's greatest challenges lie in structural problems which are likely to have a far greater impact on the process of integration than the rise of anti-establishment parties across the union, a leading academic has predicted.